In brief: The latest in the Sydney Housewives series introduces us to Christa, who ensures charitable donations don’t go unnoticed by her or her husband. (Read more here).

The good: This book is at risk of spontaneous combustion.

The not-so-good: I’d love to hear how the three people involved got on long term.

Why I chose it: Really enjoying this series. Thanks to Escape Publishing for the eARC.

Year: 2015

Pages: 35 (eARC)

Publisher: Escape Publishing

Setting: Sydney, Australia

My rating: 8.5 out of 10

I think I’ve said it before, but with each instalment of the Secret Confessions: Sydney Housewives I’m certain that the heat-o-meter can’t get any hotter or that there aren’t any more ways to surprise me. I need to stop saying that because with Christa the heat just got turned up to furnace level! (Could there be a possible contribution here to climate change?!)

Christa hasn’t appeared very often in the previous books, but she’s also been quite restrained and not overly noteworthy. Now that this lady has her own story, whoa! She’ll make herself unforgettable. Christa is a champion of charity and so is her husband. Both do frequent fundraising and as a plastic surgeon, Marc performs surgery in poor nations to help out the people. He’s tired and stressed on his return home but Christa helps him relieve some of that stress in the car as other motorists look on… If you didn’t think that was enough, Christa’s also managed to get an elusive CEO to attend their latest fundraiser. When the CEO gives a hefty donation to charity, the fun in the bedroom begins for the three…

I thought that the characterisation in this story was done brilliantly – we get to know Christa and Marc and their likes very, very quickly. The threesome scenes weren’t smutty and reading about the aftermath of that night helped to show that this wasn’t just a one off. It covered some parts that may otherwise have been awkward with grace. It’s a quick but fun read that should really be devoured with the air conditioning on!

I’m eagerly awaiting the next story in the series, which is about Emma. How will the housewives astonish me next?